Over the years, many Palestinians suffered at the hands of the Israel Defence Forces, many of which are helpless women and children. Some of these children were immortalized since their brutalization was televised. In a way, they became icons for the Palestinian struggle. This Iconic state bestowed upon these children is not by choice but by force just like how their lives were taken. Let’s remember some of them so we never forget their innocent bloody faces of the Palestinian struggle.
Muhammad Al Durrah (2000)
No one can forget this hero. The first child to be named a “martyr” in the long list of killed children by the hands of the IDF. Al-Durrah died of fatal gunshot wounds. The short footage aired back in Sep. 2000 and was imprinted in everyone in the MENA region’s mind, no one can forget the loud gunshots or the shouting of men or the horrified crying of Al-Durrah trying to take cover behind his father.
There were a lot of controversies back then on who actually shot the kid whether it is the IDF or Palestinians. Of course, there will be, after all, who wants the blood of a child on their hands, who would want to stop invading the land?
As hard it is to say, it took the life of an innocent child in fifth grade to show the world the lengths the occupation would go. The cruelty of the whole killing revealed the first cold and blue face of the Palestinian struggle.
Huda Ghalia (2006)
An 11-year-old girl crying her heart out on the beach over her dead family. Grabbing her father’s corps, screaming her lungs out in the most bitter, anguished way.
The video footage was broadcasted back then on networks all over the world making the girl a symbol of Palestinian suffering. What also immortalized her not just for the viewing public but also in literature was the famous poem called “The Girl, The Scream” by Palestinian poet Mahmod Darweesh. A really beautiful extremely melancholic poem detailing the event and the feeling of the girl and the collective watching her presented as a literary masterpiece.
Of course, there was controversy as the IDF claimed responsibility then denied it once again. Which is a move they are known for and apparently will be a signature move with every child’s innocence taken away from them by force.
Mohammed Al-Ajlouni (2022)
Probably one of the saddest of them all. Not because the kid has Down syndrome. Not because he did nothing but shout at the Israeli soldiers attacking his town, Sheikh Jarrah. Not because he was a kid against four fully equipped soldiers. Not because of his panic and hysterical screams filled with fear and agony against the IDF soldier’s rifles and guns filled with bullets. It is one of the saddest faces of Palestinian suffering because it still happens to this day. It shows the never-ending suffering. The no stopping no matter what behavior from the IDF, a woman, a child, a special needs. As long as you’re Palestinian you’re forever in the crossfire.
To end on a darker, sadder note, just to echo in our ears as a connection between all these children over the years. when the attacks on Sheikh Jarrah first started, a video of an Israeli on a video Zoom call was circulating the internet with him saying “Even if they’re babies, they will grow to be terrorists, so better if they die now,” speaking about Palestinian infants.